Be advised, the ones at Whole Foods may say Guss' Pickles on the label, but they sure don't taste like anything that ever came out of a barrel on New York's lower East Side. These are flaccid, mushy, too salty and ridiculously overpriced.

I've never been to the source in NY. That said, the deal with the pickles at WF (and indeed, any similar pickle) is freshness. The longer they've been in the brine, the softer they'll be. I've bought them at WF and found them delicious at first. But a week later, they're as you described. I guess the key is really to check the "packed on" date on the package. The newer, the better. As for the price, well, they're cheaper than airfare.

Fair point. You may want to consider buying them directly from Guss'. I know that solution is not what you asked, but it's worth considering. There is no doubt that the cost will be more due to shipping, but you are guaranteed freshness and you can choose from their entire selection rather thand just the one kind WF has.